There are currently 176 Petroleum Exploration Development Licences for onshore oil and gas in the UK. The new round of onshore licensing, which will be complete by the summer, will likely double the area currently under exploration, and especially enlarge the areas in which unconventional energy sources are sought.
The Government and the extraction industry have offered considerable inducements to local authorities to support the exploration and possible development of shale gas and other unconventional energy sources, despite the controversy surrounding the associated technique of fracking. Those opposed point to environmental risks and argue that it diverts attention from other energy sources, especially renewables. There might also be disruption and disturbance for local residents.
This seminar examines the case for and against fracking from a local government perspective, dealing in particular with:
- Climate change impacts
- The potential economic benefits to local communities
- Environmental risks and other local impacts
- The regulatory regime
- Alternative energy sources
The seminar will give delegates a rounded view of the costs and benefits of fracking, and of the ways in which the interests of local communities can be protected and secured.
Programme
09:30-10:00 Registration and refreshments
10:00-10:15: Introduction: Andrew Jones
10:15-11:05 Why Brighton is a ‘No Fracking Zone’ : Thurstan Crockett, Head of Sustainability & Environmental Policy, Brighton & Hove City Council
11:05-11:55: The Environmental Impacts of Unconventional Gas and Oil Exploration and Extraction : Ed Hough, British Geological Survey
11:55-12:10: Break
12:10:13:00: Unconventional Gas and Oil Extraction: The Regulatory Framework : Andrew Dobbie, Deputy Head, Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil, DECC
13:00 -14:00 Lunch
14:00-14:50: Exploring Alternative Energy Sources : Robert Rabinowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Pure Leapfrog
14:50-1510: Break
15:10 – 16:00: The Local Economic Benefits of Unconventional Gas and Oil: Rob Green, Head of Enterprise and Investment, Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Economic Development Company
